Former military President Ibrahim Babangida has praised the translation of the Quran into the Nupe language, saying it would deepen the understanding, practice and study of Islam.
Speaking at the presentation of the translated Quran at the Wadata palace in Bida, Babangida, represented by Abdulkhadir Kure University Pro-Chancellor Mohammed Kuta Yahaya, described the work as a major religious milestone for the Nupe people and a significant contribution to Nigeria’s Islamic heritage.
He said translating the Quran into indigenous languages was an act of devotion and intellectual courage that bridged divine revelation and everyday understanding, allowing the faithful to grasp Allah’s words in their mother tongue and deepening their spiritual lives.
Babangida said the translation was not a new tradition but a restoration of the glorious legacy of Islamic scholarship in Nupe land, reflecting how faith and culture could coexist in promoting moral values and societal development.
He expressed concern that distractions of the digital age had weakened the culture of intensive Quranic learning and discipline seen in earlier generations, but said the Nupe translation offered an opportunity to revive deeper study by making the message more understandable.
